[Caution: I only ever so lightly spoil this film by saying whether it has a Happily Ever After or not. I don't reveal what happens in the conclusion.] I finally experienced Raya and the Last Dragon and I was thrilled to witness non-caricatured representations of oft-ignored Asian cultures and people. While I wish that all of the Southeastern representative characters were portrayed by actors from the diverse countries in that region, this matter doesn't take even one iota away from the amazing artistry of every voice actor involved. Furthermore, though I prefer hand drawn animation's aesthetics, the stylized computer generated animation here was masterfully painted: subtle emotions were wondrously rendered, while being magnified through the lead characters' eyes, as sepia and luminous rainbow hued toned settings were woven into this one film. This helped enhance the artists' emotive storytelling (including its visual, written, and performed forms). I also love the film's feature of martial arts in the forms of Pencak Silat, Arnis, and Muay Thai, rather than Hollywood's frequent portrayal of Karate or Kung-Fu. ~~~ Though not all of the comedic elements appealed to my difficult to unearth sense of comic relief, enough of it succeeded. Yet even if none of it did, it still wouldn't derail my enjoyment of a Disney Prince-less female led narrative, mood reinforcing music, the protagonist (Raya) who is relatable for her ethical flaws (the antagonist ((Namaari)) is relatable due to her moral imperfections too), steadfast stance for forgiveness (as well as empathic unity amidst diverse identities), and theme about how trust is the antithesis of fear, as the latter is an instigator for prejudice, while fear is a catalyst for war. In a similar fashion, I found the narrator's brief statement during the film's opening of a borderless nation (Kumandra) as being optimal for peace (and, by implication, the characters' holistic well-being), while signifying that it still wasn't a utopia due to humanity's nature for imperfect behavior, to be brave and commendable. Finally, Happily Ever Afters generally aren't my preferred type of endings (bittersweet ones are) yet even I believe that any other type of conclusion would have betrayed the emotional potency of this movie's main theme of trust, besides the theme itself. I recommend that you experience this wonderful film. ~~~ - Written by C.A. Nicholas.
- Posters by Raya and the Last Dragon's marketing team.
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